Scaffold



Oct. 1, 1968 D. v. YODER 3,403,751

S CAFFOLD Filed May 11, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 1, 1968 o. v. YODER 3,403,751

SCAFFOLD Filed May 11, 1967 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2\ y\\\ \u o INVEN TOR DAVID V. YODER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,403,751 SCAFFOLD David V. Yoder, R.F.D. 1, Smock, Pa. 15480 Filed May 11, 1967, Ser. No. 637,741 8 Claims. (Cl. 182-229) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A bracket and putlog are described for tying a vertical standard of a putlog scaffold to a wall under construction. A pair of hooks is mounted on the bracket for attaching it to the wall. The dimensions of the hooks and the distance between the hooks are such that in the construction of a masonry brick wall, for example, a brick may be placed between the hooks in the further construction of the wall, thereby avoiding the necessity of omitting a brick in the construction of the wall to accommodate for the hooks. A putlog, at one end thereof, is coupled to the bracket by a pivotal coupler and the other end of the putlog is fastened to a vertical standard of the scaffold, thereby tying the scaffold structure to the wall under construction.

Background of the invention (1) Field of the invention-This invention relates to scaffolding, with particular reference to scaffolds utilized in the construction industry in the erection of houses and buildings, although the invention is applicable to the erection of any structure in which scaffolding requirements are similar to the described invention. More particularly, the invention relates, to a bracket and putlog which form a part of a scaffold and which secure the scaffolding structure to a wall.

(2) Description of the prior art.A scaffold is a temporary structure built for the support of workmen and materials. Scaffolds are necessary, for example, in the construction of a brick masonry wall after the bricklayer has completed work at the height he can reach by standing on the ground. When the construction is such that the height of the brick wall is not excessive and only slightly higher than the bricklayer can reach by standing on the ground then a so-called trestle scaffold may be utilized. A trestle scaffold consists of a pair of trestles or horses spaced from one another with a plurality of planks resting thereon forming a platform for the support of Workmen and materials. When the height of the wall is to extend to any greater heights than those mentioned above, then a trestle scaffold becomes dangerous to use due to the possibility of its tipping over.

Accordingly, when a brick wall is to be built to any great height, a so-called putlog scaffold is sometimes utilized. The construction of a putlog scaffold is such that the scaffold structure is physically tied to the wall under construction by stays, thereby providing a safer platform upon which the bricklayer may work. A putlog scaffold consists of a plurality of aligned vertical standards or uprights uniformly spaced from each other and spaced relative to the wall under construction. These vertical uprights are tied together by ledgers or horizontally placed planks which are generally nailed to the vertical uprights. Longitudinal cross bracing by planks is generally provided to the vertical uprights to provide structural rigidity. The vertical uprights, ledgers and longitudinal cross bracing planks form a skeleton structure or temporary wall, spaced from and parallel to the brick wall under construction.

In order to provide a platform for the support of the workmen and the materials, a putlog or piece of lumber is positioned and res-ts at one end thereof on the top of a ledger and against a vertical upright. The other end of the putlog rests on the wall under construction. A brick is omitted in the construction of the wall to provide an opening for this end of the putlog. If the putlog is placed atop the wall, a brick must be omitted later when the erection of the wall reaches the location of the putlog to accommodate for the space it occupies. A plurality of planks are placed atop the putlogs to form the scaffold platform upon which the workmen stand.

In order to physically tie the skeleton structure of the scaffold formed 'by the vertical uprights, ledgers and longitudinal cross bracing planks to the Wall under construc tion, stays consisting of planks are generally utilized. The physical tying of the skeleton structure to the wall under construction is generally accomplished by securing the stays at one end thereof to a ledger. The stays extend from the ledger to the wall and generally pass through a window opening and are secured at the other end thereof to the structure inside the building.

Spring stays are also utilized to physically tie the skeleton structure to the wall under construction. Spring stays consist of two planks placed one atop the other. The ends of the two planks are positioned in an opening in the wall formed, again, by omitting a brick in the construction of the wall. After the planks are inserted into the opening, a brick or wedge is placed between the planks and forced to a position close to the wall under construction. The planks are then sprung together and securely fastened to the ledger.

The putlog may also be used as a stay in which case a wooden Wedge is driven above the putlog and into its opening in the wall. The wedge is then nailed to the putlog and the putlog fastened to the ledger.

As the height of the wall is increased and the work is is carried up, some of the putlogs are removed to provide another scaffold platform above the previous one; some putlogs, however, are left tied to the lower ledgers to act as stays.

As can be readily seen from the above, the location of the putlogs, upon which the scaffold platform rests, is dependent upon bricks being omitted during construction of the wall to provide openings for their positioning or their location requires subsequent omission of a brick during further construction of the wall to accommodate for the space they occupy. Also, the location of the stays used to physically tie the skeleton structure of the scaffold to the brick masonry wall is dependent upon bricks being omitted during construction of the wall to provide openings for their insertion or their location is dependent upon ready access to a planned opening, such as a window, in order that the stays may be secured to structure inside the building. Such omission of bricks during the construction of masonry walls is troublesome and burdensome as is readily evident. The space or opening left in the wall must subsequently be filled by the insertion of a brick or bricks. Such subsequent insertion of bricks leads to the possibility that the joints between them and the surrounding bricks will not be full of the mortar, which joins the bricks, at every point, thereby resulting in a poorly bonded brick or bricks. Such poorly bonded bricks are susceptible of becoming easily loosened and also reduce the resistance of the wall to water penetration. Further, the location of openings to be left in the wall for the insertion of the stays must be predetermined and located properly in relation to the uprights and ledgers of the scaffold to insure proper alignment. Also, many times, convenient openings, such as windows, are not readily available to allow the stays to pass therethrough for their securing to structure Within the building. Further, the wedges utilized to aid in securing the stays may become loosened resulting in an unsafe and dangerous scaffold structure unsuitable for the safety of the lives of the workmen working thereon.

Summary Briefly, the present invention is directed to a bracket and putlog to be utilized in the construction of a scaffold. The bracket is provided with hooks for attaching the bracket to a partially completed wall of a type of construction in which units of a block-shaped material are laid in courses with mortar joints. The hooks are constructed and arranged to permit further construction of the wall to proceed toward completion without occupying space necessary for any of the type units utilized in the construction of the wall. Accordingly, none of the type units utilized in the construction of th wall need be omitted during any phase of the construction of the wall. A coupling means is associated with the bracket for connecting a putlog to the bracket. The putlog is constructed and arranged at one end thereof to cooperate with the coupling means and at the other end thereof, it is adapted to be fastened to a vertical standard of a scaffold to thereby physically tie the vertical standard to the wall under construction.

The present invention, therefore, provides a bracket and putlog to be utilized in the construction of a scaffold which is to be used in construction of a wall, such as a brick masonry wall, without the need of omitting any of the bricks in the wall to accommodate for the space normally occupied by a putlog or stay. As none of the bricks are omitted during the construction of the wall, the possibility of poorly bonded bricks, caused by insertion of bricks into the wall after the putlogs or stays have been removed from the wall, is thereby eliminated. Further, with the use of the present invention, the putlogs and stays are not dependent upon openings being left in the wall and they may be positioned anywhere with respect to the wall according to need. Also, with the use of the present invention, the need of wedges in the securing of stays and putlogs is eliminated, thereby avoiding the risk that the wedges may become loosened and result in a dangerous and unsafe scaffold.

As a primary object, the present invention seeks to provide a bracket and putlog to be utilized in the construction of a scaffold which eliminates the need of omitting any of the bricks during any phase of the construction of the wall to accommodate for space normally occupied by a putlog or stay of the scaffold.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bracket and putlog which physically ties a vertical standard of a scaffold to a wall in a safe manner and which may be easily disassembled and removed from the wall and scaffold.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a Wall under construction with a putlog scaffold physically tied thereto by the bracket and putlog of the present invention; parts of the wall and putlog scaffold being broken away;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bracket of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the putlog of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a view of the putlog, in side elevation, as fastened to a vertical standard of a putlog scaffold;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view taken along the line V-V of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the bracket which is suspended from a wall;

FIG. 7 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the putlog; and

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate ways in which the putlog may be suspended from a Wooden, rather than brick, wall.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, a wall under construction is shown generally at 10.

A putlog scaffold shown generally at 12 is physically tied to the wall by means of a bracket 14 and a putlog 16. Only one bracket 14 and one putlog 16 are shown, it being understood that a plurality of such brackets and putlogs is required in the construction of the scaffold structure. Generally, a bracket 14 and a putlog 16 are required longitudinally along the wall 10 for each vertical standard 18 of the scaffold 12. In the construction of the scaffold 12, the vertical standards 18 are tied together by ledgers 20 or horizontally placed planks which are generally nailed to the vertical standards 18. Longitudinal cross bracing is generally provided to the vertical standards 18 by means of planks 22 to provide structural rigidity to the scaffold 12. The vertical standards 18, the horizontal ledgers 20 and the logitudinal cross bracing planks 22 form a skeleton structure or temporary wall, spaced from and parallel to the wall 10. A plurality of planks 24 is placed atop the putlogs 16 to form a scaffold platform 26 which supports workmen and materials.

The bracket 14 is attached to the wall 10 by means of spatially related hooks 28 and 30. The details of bracket 14 are best shown in FIG. 2. Bracket 14 includes a plate member 32 having an arcuate flange member 34 located along its top portion 36. The hooks 28 and have substantially vertical portions 37 and 38, respectively, for securing them to the plate member 32. The hooks 28 and 30 further include horizontal arm portions 40 and 42, respectively, and depending portions 44 and 46, respectively, for embracing the wall 10. The hook 28 is fixedly secured to plate 32 along the vertical portion 37 by welding, for example. The hook 30 is adjustably and slideably secured to plate member 32 by means of an arcuate slot 48 in its vertical portion 38, which is adapted to receive the arcuate flange member 34, and a flange 50 which is adapted to engage the bottom portion 52 of plate member 32. The hook 30 being adjustably secured to plate member 32 allows hook 30 to be adjusted with respect to hook 28, thereby permitting the bracket 14 to be utilized in the construction of any wall in which units of a blockshaped material are laid in courses with mortar joints. In FIG. 1, the bracket 14 is illustrated with the space between the hooks 28 and 30 adjusted to receive one of the block-shaped units 54 used in the construction of the wall. As can readily be seen, the hooks occupy the space normally occupied by the mortar joints 56 between the block-shaped units 54.

The distance between the hooks 28 and 30 is adjusted, and is dependent, upon the length of the units being used in the construction of the wall. The width dimension W of the arm portions 40, 42 is chosen such that the hooks will occupy less space than the space normally used for a mortar joint between adjacent units. The height dimension H of the arm portions 40, 42 is chosen to be less than the height of the units 54. Of course, the length dimension L of the arm portions 40, 42 is dependent upon the width of the units 54 being used in the construction of the wall. With the distance of the hooks 28 and 30 adjusted to receive one of the block-shaped units 54, work on the wall may proceed without the necessity of omitting any of the units in the further construction of the wall. After the wall has been completed, or when the work on the wall has reached a point where the scaffold platform 26 must be raised, the bracket 14 may be easily lifted to free the depending portions 44, 46 and removed from the Wall. Mortar may then be applied to fill the joint between the units previously occupied by the hooks or rubber inserts, for example, may be inserted into openings left after the removal of the hooks. If, at some later time, a scaffold is to be erected along the wall, the inserts may be removed and the bracket may be attached to the wall by inserting the hooks within the openings. In this manner, a scaffold can be erected along the wall without the need of disfiguring the wall to provide openings for the putlogs and stays of the scaffold.

The bracket 14 further includes a coupler 58 for coupling the putlog 16 to the plate member 32. Coupler 58 includes a first flange member located along thetop portion 36 between the hooks 28, 30. A second flange member 62 is located along the bottom portion 52 between the hooks 28 and 30. A pivot pin 64 is mounted between flanges 60, 62. A U-shaped pivotal member 66 is positioned between flanges 60 and 62 with the rear portion 68 of the U-shaped member 66 being located behind the pivot pin 64. The open portion 70 of the U-shaped member 66 faces outwardly in the direction of the vertical standard 18. A pair of openings 72, 74 is provided in the sides 76, 78 of member 66 and a coupling pin 80 is received by the openings 72, 74. The construction of the coupler 58 thereby allows U-shaped member 66 to be pivoted about pin 64 and relative to plate member 32.

The details of the putlog 16 are shown in FIG. 3. The putlog 16 consists of an elongated horizontal portion 82 and an elongated vertical portion 84 normal to portion 82; the portions 82 and 84 forming a putlog having a T-shaped cross section. The putlog 16 includes a front portion 86 and a rear portion 88. The front portion 86 includes a section 90 which extends beyond the front edge 92 of portion 82. Depending downwardly from portion 84 at section 90 is a coupling hook 94. Section 90 -is received by U-shaped member 66 with the coupling hook 94 engaging coupling pin 80. With such an arrangement the putlog 16 may be securely coupled to the plate member 32. Further, the putlog 16 may be pivoted while being securely coupled to the plate member 32 to allow the putlog 16 to be positioned relative to a vertical standard 18 for fastening thereto. Such a pivotal arrangemnt is particularly advantageous when the bracket and putlog are to be utilized with a wall under construction having inside corners, i.e., a pair of walls joined together at an angle. Also, the scaffold structure usually extends beyond the ends of the wall under construction with a vertical standard that must be tied to the wall not lying directly in front of the wall. With the bracket and putlog of the present invention, the bracket may be attached to the wall and the putlog pivoted to the location of the vertical standard not lying directly in front of the wall. When the putlog has been pivoted to the location of the vertical standard, it may then be fastened thereto.

In order to fasten putlog 16 to a vertical standard 18, the putlog 16 is equipped with a hinge member 96 at its rear portion 88. The horizontal portion 82 of putlog 16 has a recessed portion 98 adapted to receive a vertical standard 18. The hinge member 96 comprises a first section 100 and a second section 102. Sections 100 and 102 are joined together by a hinge pin 104 in the normal fashion of a hinge. The first section 100 is afiixed to the vertical portion 84 of putlog 16 by welding, for example, along its rear edge 106 (see FIG. 5). The second section 102 consists of a portion 108, a portion normal to portion 108 and a portion 112 normal to portion 110 and parallel to portion 108. Portion 112 has an opening 114 therein for receiving threaded stud 116 provided on vertical portion 84 when section 102 is closed around a vertical standard as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5. A wing nut 118 is provided to lock section 102 in place by being threadedly received by stud 116. With hinge member 96 locked in position and embracing a vertical standard, it can be seen that the vertical standard 18 will be physically tied to the wall under construction when the coupling hook 94 is engaged with coupling pin 80. If necessary or desirable, a section of two-by-four may be placed under the edge of vertical portion 84 and nailed to standard 18 to give the device added strength.

With reference, now, to FIG. 6, another embodiment of the bracket of the invention is shown which again includes hooks 120 and 122. In this case, however, the hook 120 is formed in a single stamping operation with plate 124 and bent at right angles at point 126 to form the configuration shown. Thus, there is no necessity for welding the hook to the plate at this point. The plate 124 is bent as at 128 to form a raised portion 130 on which the hook 122 can slide back and forth as indicated by arrow 132. The hook 122 is formed with a slot 134 which fits over raised portion 130; while a pin 134 prevents removal of the hook 122 from the raised portion 130 once it is initially placed thereon. In this case, the coupler 136 is welded to plate 124 as at 138 and is provided with a pin 140 into which a coupling hook, similar to hook 94 of FIGS. 3 and 4, may be inserted.

In FIG. 7, the embodiment of the invention shown is similar to that of FIG. 1 and includes a plate 140 which may be hung by means of hooks, not shown. Fastened to the plate 140 is a coupler 142 similar to the coupler 136 of FIG. 6, for example. In this case, however, the front portion 144 of the putlog 16 hooks over a pin 146 and has a length such that its top is flush with the top of the coupler 142. In this manner, the horizontal portion 148 of the putlog 16 may extend over the coupler 142 as at 150, thereby providing a safety feature whereby the putlog 16 will not fall downwardly even though the front hook portion 144 is not engaged with the pin 146. On top of the horizontal portion 148 is a plank or two-by-four 152 which is preferably nailed to the horizontal portion 148; and above the two-by-four 152 are planks 154.

In FIG. 8, still another embodiment of the invention is shown wherein the coupler 156 is welded to a plate 160. The plate 160, in turn, is provided with nail holes and is fastened by means of nails 162 to a wooden structural member 164. This embodiment of the invention, of course, can be utilized where the side of the building is formed from wood rather than brick as in the previous embodiments. Again, the forward end of the horizontal portion 148 extends over the top of the coupler 156 to provide a safety feature.

In FIG. 9, still another embodiment of the invention is shown which is similar to that of FIG. 8 but which is adapted to be fastened to a corner of a building. The corner of the building is represented schematically by a wooden structural member 166; and the coupler 168 is welded as at 170 to an angle iron 172 which, in turn, is nailed to the structural member 166 as at 174 and 176.

Although the invention has been shown in connection with certain specific embodiments, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and arrangement of parts may be made to suit requirements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a scaffold construction, the combination of a plate member having a top portion and a bottom portion, hook means associated with said plate member for attaching said plate member to a partially completed wall of a type of construction in which units of a block-shaped material are laid in courses with mortar joints, said hook means being adapted to permit construction of said wall to proceed toward completion without occupying space necessary for any of said units thereby avoiding the omission of any of said units in the further construction of said wall, a coupling means associated with said plate member, and a putlog having a front portion and a rear portion, said front portion adapted to be secured to said coupling means, said rear portion adapted to be fastened to a vertical standard of a scaffold to thereby physically tie said vertical standard to said wall, said coupling means comprising a first flange member associated with said top portion of said plate member, a second flange member associated with said bottom portion of said plate member, a pivot pin between said first and second flange members, a pivotal member cooperating with said pivot pin and a coupling pin associated with said pivotal member for coupling said putlog to said plate member.

2. In a scaffold construction, the combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pivotal member comprises an elongated U-shaped member, said U-shaped member being positioned between said first and second flange members with the rear portion of said U-shaped member being located behind said pivot pin and the open portion of said U-shaped member facing outwardly in the direction of said vertical standard thereby cooperating with said pivot pin in a pivotal fashion, said coupling pin being located between the sides of said U-shaped memher.

3. In a scaffold construction, the combination of a plate member having a top portion and a bottom portion, hook means associated with said plate member for attaching said plate member to a partially completed wall of a type of construction in which units of a block-shaped material are laid in courses with mortar joints, said hook means being adapted to permit construction of said wall to proceed toward completion without occupying space necessary for any of said units thereby avoiding the omission of any of said units in the further construction of said wall, a coupling means associated with said plate member, and a putlog having a front portion and a rear portion, said front portion adapted to be secured to said coupling means, said rear portion adapted to be fastened to a vertical standard of a scaffold to thereby physically tie said vertical standard to said wall, said putlog having a front portion and a rear portion and further including a depending portion located at said front portion, said depending portion being adapted to engage said coupling means, said putlog further including at said rear portion a recessed portion adapted to receive said vertical standard, said rear portion of said putlog including a hinge member, said hinge member comprising a first section and a second section, said first section and said second section being joined together by a hinge pin, said first section being fixedly secured to said putlog, said first and second sections being adapted to embrace said vertical standard upon said vertical standard being received by said recessed portion of said putlog, and said second section being further adapted to be secured to said putlog to thereby fasten said putlog to said vertical standard.

4. In a scaffold construction, the combination of a plate member having a top portion and a bottom portion, hook means associated with said plate member for attaching said plate member to a partially completed wall of a type of construction in which units of a block-shaped material are laid in courses with mortar joints, said hook means being adapted to permit construction of said wall to proceed toward completion without occupying space necessary for any of said units thereby avoiding the omission of any of said units in the further construction of said wall, a coupling means associated with said plate member, and a putlog having a front portion and a rear portion, said front portion being adapted to be secured to said coupling means, said rear portion being adapted to be fastened to a vertical standard of a scaffold to thereby physically tie said vertical standard to said wall, said plate member including an arcuate flange member, said hook means comprising a pair of spatially related hooks, at least one hook of said pair of hooks having a substantially vertical portion, said vertical portion having an arcuate slot, said arcuate slot being adapted to receive said arcuate flange member of said plate member, said one hook further including a flange portion adapted to engage said bottom portion of said plate member to thereby adjustably secure said one hook to said plate member, the other of said hooks being fixedly secured to said plate member, each of said pair of hooks having a substantially horizontal arm portion for embracing said wall to thereby secure said plate to said wall, said coupling means comprising a pair of flange members associated with said plate member, said pair of flange mernbers being located between said pair of hooks, a pivot pin mounted between said pair of flange members, a pivotal member cooperating with said pivot pin and a coupling pin associated with said pivotal member for couplin g said putlog to said plate member.

5. In a scaffold construction, the combination as set forth in claim 4, wherein said putlog having a front and rear portion includes a depending portion located at said front portion adapted to engage said coupling pin, said rear portion including a recessed portion adapted to receive said vertical standard, said rear portion further including a hinge member adapted to embrace said vertical standard after said vertical standard has been received by said recessed portion to thereby fasten said putlog to said vertical standard.

6. A bracket for use in making a wall of the type comprising a plurality of generally rectangular objects set in courses in spaced relationship to one another with spaces therebetween for containing mortar to join said objects, said bracket comprising hook means for embracing a portion of said wall that has been completed, said hook means having at least one horizontal portion having a width less than that of one of said spaces and a length substantially equal to the thickness of said wall, said horizontal portion having at its ends first and second depending portions adapted to be positioned on opposite sides of said wall, said first depending portion having a length less than the height of one of said objects so as to permit withdrawal of said bracket from said wall, and said second depending portion comprising means for grasping an end of a crosspiece.

7. A bracket as defined in claim 6, further characterized in that said hook means comprises a pair of hooks, each of said hooks having at least one horizontal portion having a width less than that of one of said spaces and a length substantially equal to the thickness of said wall, said horizontal portion having at its ends first and second depending portions adapted to be positioned at opposite sides of said wall, said first depending portion having a length less than the height of one of said objects so as to permit withdrawal of said bracket from said wall.

8. A bracket as defined in claim 7, further characterized in that said bracket comprises means for adjusting the distance between said hooks to permit the use of the bracket with rectangular objects of differing length.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,854,291 9/1958 Riblet 182-229 3,011,587 12/1961 Mallog 182-150 3,131,784 5/1964 Jackson 182-229 REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primary Examiner. 

